Books and recipes for those of us who must live the gluten-free life.
Frances Spiegel also reviews art books, art galleries and museums. She is the author of numerous travel articles exploring Europe and Canada, and is the author of Ride the Rocket - Toronto Enabled, a humorous autobiographical guide to Toronto.
I write for many sites but Infobarrel is the best. If you'd like to join me sign up here.

InfoBarrel is a writing platform for non-fiction, reference-based, informative content. Opinions expressed by InfoBarrel writers are their own.

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Soup in Five Easy Steps

Pumpkins are healthy and delicious, low in fat and sodium, rich in potassium and vitamin A. Because pumpkins are harvested in the autumn they tend to be associated with Thanksgiving and Halloween, but with the wonders of modern transport they can be enjoyed throughout the year.

Pumpkins are healthy and delicious, low in fat and sodium, rich in potassium and vitamin A. Because pumpkins are harvested in the autumn they tend to be associated with Thanksgiving and Halloween, but with the wonders of modern transport they can be enjoyed throughout the year. This recipe makes six portions of rich, creamy pumpkin soup.

Credit: Ronald Spiegel 2009

Pumpkins at Halloween and Thanksgiving

Because pumpkins are ready to harvest in autumn they tend to be associated with Thanksgiving and Halloween, but are eaten all year round in many parts of the world

Pumpkins are part of the Cucurbitaceae family which includes melons, squash, cucumbers and gourds. A very large pumpkin can weigh in at more than 90 pounds. Pumpkins are actually a fruit, rather than a vegetable. The healthy flesh is low in fat and sodium, rich in potassium and vitamin A, and has no cholesterol. There are a number of different types of pumpkin, each with a slightly different flavour, basically similar to sweet potato.

Pumpkins – the Main Differences

The main differences are in the thickness of the skin and its colour. Some have very thin skins which are easier to remove. Pumpkins with thinner rinds are easier to cut.

Larger Pumpkins – Less Flavour

Generally, the larger the pumpkin the tougher the skin. They will still be edible, but larger pumpkins tend to have tougher flesh and far less flavour. For cooking purposes it is best to look for pumpkins grown specifically for eating. However, larger pumpkins will make a reasonable pie or soup and all types can be used in both sweet and savoury dishes.